Overview & Reviews

A navigation system has been added to the options list for 2006, and trim levels have been realigned. Non-turbo four-cylinder models get a bump in horsepower (now up to 175) thanks to a new variable valve-lift system.

• Standard all-wheel drive, generous standard equipment list, exemplary build and materials quality, strong power from turbo and H6 engines, balanced ride and handling dynamics, capable performance off-road.

• Automatic transmission upshifts too early, desirable features restricted to top-line VDC model, smaller backseat than most competitors.

User Reviews:

Showing 91 through 100 of 106.00

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  This is an Outback? - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Liz - April 21 - 2:20 pm

  This vehicle is fantastic! With 250 HP and 250 ft. lbs. of torque, its got guts galore. And I was amazed that an Outback could handle this well. With its higher center of gravity, I simply wasnt expecting handling this taut. Its a sports car--with room to haul all your stuff safely on snow-covered highways or backwoods roads. The 5 speed manual, especially with the optional short-throw shifter, just adds to the sports car feel. Its the perfect combination of sportiness and utility. Its just plain fun to drive!

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  Worst car Ive ever owned!! - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Jen - April 20 - 8:00 pm

  This is the worst car Ive ever owned. NO steering control on snowy roads. Brakes smokes and wont respond in wet, snowy weather. Car stops for no reason in the middle of the road with no warning. Have to replace oil every time I stop for gas because it burns out completely. Had the engine almost seize because of this! DO NOT Buy!!!!!

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  10 Years in the Family - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Pike - April 7 - 10:07 am

  To start, the Subaru was my mothers car for almost 10 years and she had bought it barely used with less than 2000 miles on it. Though this is not my car, I have driven it for several thousand miles over the past decade. My biggest complaints with this vehicle are its atrocious steering feel, terrible fuel economy, sub par reliability, obstructive visibility, and cramp inducing seats. Other than that the Outback is pretty average in all other categories. The steering feels loose and the wheel rotates several degrees before the wheels respond. It is a feeling similar to large sedans like a Lincoln Town Car, or offroad capable SUVs like a Jeep Wrangler. If the steering was looser for offroad purposes I would not mark it down, but the Outback is not capable of tackling anything more than a dirt road. The owners manual also warns you that it is not designed as an offroad vehicle. As a result, the car feels a lot heavier and less nimble than other vehicles in the same size category. Second, fuel economy is terrible. It averaged 17 in the city and 26 on the highway for average fuel economy of 22 mpg. This is 2 mpg better than the epa rating, but still worse than contemporary RWD V8s or AWD cars with similar power. Speaking of the AWD, it takes a huge toll on the suspension and steering elements after 10 years. We had to replace a part of the front axel shaft and cv joint as it had worn down and was creating a grinding noise at highway speeds. Parts like that should not wear out in under 60k miles. All other cars we have owned have not had any mechanical failures until reaching over 100k miles. This car was also subject to the Takata airbag recall and the dealer says that we will need to wait another 6 months before it can be fixed after waiting a year already. The final issue is the interior comfort and design. The materials of the interior are mostly cheap hard plastics with a few soft touch panels. The seats were as uncomfortable as you could get in a car. I would develop pain in my lower back and legs after driving or riding in it for about an hour. It is the only car I have experienced this even though I have done 5-11 hours non-stop (except gas) in other vehicles. Blind spot visibility is also poor as the front head rests and side pillars make it difficult to see anything out of the back seat side windows if you are backing out of a parking spot or checking the blind spot. To conclude, the 2006 Subaru Outback 3.0R is a very average wagon that I did not look forward to driving.

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  Good to drive and reliable - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By tljake - February 28 - 3:36 pm

  This is my second Subaru (first being a 1986 Brat). Have put over 50,000 on it in three years, have had absolutely no problems. This car has been through winter snow, off road in the high desert, city traffic, and has never failed to perform. Its not the flashiest car out there, nor the fastest, nor the one pulling the biggest load, but it will get you from point A to point B with minimum worry.

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  Good Car For The Money - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Ben - February 2 - 10:16 pm

  This has been a good car, but I have one issue with regard to the all wheel drive. When turning into an intersection from a stop on fresh snow, the rear wheels will kick in with too much power resulting in the rear end sliding sideways. The dealer says I am applying too much gas, but Consumer Reports experts agree w/ me on this issue. Also, the passing gear hesitates 2 or 3 seconds before activating. The inside use of cloth in some of the places that get dirtiest...visors, inside door walls behind the arm rests, etc. should be something washable. Also the light interior colors are impossible clean, especially the carpets and cloth seats. Opt for a darker colors unless pet hair is an issue.

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  Good wagon, but not great - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By andy - January 18 - 5:33 am

  Being a Honda man, I defaulted to a Subaru Outback wagon because the Accord isnt available in an AWD wagon; a manual transmission because of its slow 0-60 times. I have a few complaints: shifter is too far forward in relation to how I like to sit in the drivers seat, power windows go up and down too slowly, miss the power up feature in my old Accord, wind and tire noise, rear slides out when cornering, exterior panel gaps are too wide and are unsightly, balky and ambiguous manual gear shift pattern and feel of engagement, awkward clutch/gear engagement (compared to my old Accord), the lack of telescoping steering column, sub-par standard audio system/speakers and lack of standard sunroof.

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  nice performance wagon - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By sheesh-kebab - December 19 - 1:06 pm

  Just got this wagon, or maybe a truck, or whatever it is after spending 10 minutes test driving one - its very nice. I looked at 2006 Accord V6 (cheap interior, back seat folds down in 1 piece), Acura TL (back seat doesnt fold down, blind spots, snobby dealerships), Saab 95 (poor quality apparently) - this one beats those by a nice margin. Beautiful and very practical interior for a 63" skier with family, tight ride, decent acceleration (get turbo if you like to feel the engine), good MPG for AWD, tons of storage, not a single blind spot, pleasant buying experience, what else do you need?

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  cv caps - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By sonic - November 30 - 1:46 am

  I have never had a car with so many problems and its not even paid off! My Mazdas and Camrys were great! Ive had both cv caps leak (not at the same time, so it will cost more for repair), the cruise control turned off and the engine light went out in the middle of the desert. Problem was not cruise control! I sure do miss my Camry.

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  My Subaru - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Ron Scopa - November 12 - 2:13 am

  This is my second Subaru. Both were purchased new. I am reasonably pleased with the vehicle. I think, however, that a 4-cylinder engine such as the 2.5l in my car should be a bit better in fuel economy 24.5 mpg average. On the highway, the figure is approx. 27.5 mpg, at 60 mph. In city driving the economy is approx. 17 mpg. The car is fairly well built. The interior comfort is acceptable. The car is quiet, holds the road nicely at high speeds and runs smooth. The acceleration is not bad for a four-cylinder. Overall, one of the best cars I ever owned.

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  Traded Envoy for Subi - 2006 Subaru Outback
  By Troy - July 6 - 10:36 am

  We traded in our 02 Envoy for an 06 Outback Limited and are very pleased so far. Living in Chicago, the 4 cylinder (manual) has more than enough power (this coming from someone who went from 275hp to 168hp). And while our Outback cant handle the same "load" quantity as the Envoy, its more than enough for a family of 3 who packs "heavy" (I got an aerator in the back the other day). Looked at other "cross-over" vehicles, and Outback is the best (especially when you factor in price). So far gas mileage good, but not "rating" - more like 20 city, 26 highway (all around avg on Envoy about 15). A great car for someone looking for a replacement to their traditional SUV.